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11 June 2021 STREPTOCOCCUS EQUI SSP. ZOOEPIDEMICUS MENINGOENCEPHALOMYELITIS IN A SOUTHERN TAMANDUA (TAMANDUA TETRADACTYLA) ASSOCIATED WITH A RAW HORSEMEAT DIET
Daniela Yuschenkoff, Jason D. Struthers, Gary West, Trevor Moore, Kristen Phair, Alexandra Goe
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Abstract

A 1-y-old female southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) presented with vomiting, hyporexia, and neurologic signs. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed contrast-enhancing material within the lateral and fourth ventricles and a T2 hyperintense cerebellar lesion, consistent with meningoencephalitis. The tamandua rapidly declined and was euthanatized. On gross postmortem exam, the tamandua had diffusely injected leptomeninges, opaque fluid in the fourth ventricle, and subdural brainstem and spinal cord hemorrhage. Histologically, there was regionally hemorrhagic and multifocal fibrinosuppurative meningoencephalomyelitis, ventriculitis, choroid plexitis, cerebellar folia necrosis, ependymitis, radiculoneuritis, and abundant intralesional gram-positive cocci. Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus was cultured from brain, cardiac blood clot, and multiple samples of horsemeat collected from the animal's diet. This is the first report of streptococcal meningoencephalomyelitis in a southern tamandua. The route of infection was likely gastrointestinal inoculation, which may have implications for the routine practice of feeding diets containing raw meat to insectivores.

Copyright 2021 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
Daniela Yuschenkoff, Jason D. Struthers, Gary West, Trevor Moore, Kristen Phair, and Alexandra Goe "STREPTOCOCCUS EQUI SSP. ZOOEPIDEMICUS MENINGOENCEPHALOMYELITIS IN A SOUTHERN TAMANDUA (TAMANDUA TETRADACTYLA) ASSOCIATED WITH A RAW HORSEMEAT DIET," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 52(2), 858-862, (11 June 2021). https://doi.org/10.1638/2020-0119
Accepted: 19 January 2021; Published: 11 June 2021
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